A quiet stretch of Interstate 40 in Sampson County turned into a heartbreaking disaster early Saturday morning after a wrong-way crash left three people dead and another person fighting for survival.
According to investigators, the violent collision happened around 2:41 a.m. near the 344-mile marker close to Newton Grove. Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said a red Chevrolet Camaro was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes when it suddenly slammed head-on into a black Honda Accord.
The impact was so severe that two men inside the Camaro were killed instantly. Authorities identified them as 21-year-old Jonathan Toxtle Zacarias and 20-year-old Gabriel Toxtle Zacarias, both from Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Inside the Honda Accord was another tragedy that has shaken many people across the state. Officials said 14-year-old Beancy Rivas Flores, who was riding in the front passenger seat, died at the scene from catastrophic injuries suffered in the crash.
The driver of the Honda survived but suffered serious injuries. Emergency crews rushed the victim from the wreckage before an air ambulance transported the driver to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville for emergency treatment. Authorities have not publicly released the driver’s name.
Hours after sunrise, pieces of twisted metal and shattered debris still covered the interstate as investigators worked to understand exactly what happened. Eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 remained closed for several hours while emergency responders cleared the scene and redirected traffic away from the crash site.
Investigators say they are still trying to determine why the Camaro entered the interstate going the wrong direction. So far, officials have not announced whether alcohol, speeding, or impairment played any role in the deadly crash.
For many people following the case, the loss of 14-year-old Beancy Rivas Flores has become the most painful part of the tragedy. What began as a late-night drive ended in a devastating moment that forever changed several families in both Fayetteville and surrounding communities across eastern North Carolina.
